Automatic lock for shutter-operating mechanism



I May 2.8, 1929. A. R. BLASKI AUTOMATIC LOCK FOR SHUTTER OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 13, 1925 Lw A lll' L Patented Mayf- 28, 1929.

AIEN'I oFFIcE. A

ALoYzIoUs a. BLAsKI, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed March 13, 1925. Serial No. 15,355. l

My invention has reference to -a device for automaticall locking and releasing an adjusting mec ianism to prevent unintended operation or shifting thereof, and it is particularly useful in connection with shutters or adjustable ventilator elements of skylights and the like. y

Ventilating devices and the like, such as the Ventilating elements or shutters of skylights a-re usually located at elevated points where they are not conveniently accessible for direct operation and are usually equipped with an adjusting mechanism in proximity thereto and operable from a remote point for opening and closing the same. These Ventilating elements or shutters are usually subjected to vibration or varying wind pressures or draughts which tend to disturb the adjustment thereof, and the adjusting or operating mechanism must be adapted to hold eectively the Ventilating elements or shutters against any displacement except through the normal operation of the adjusting mechanism.

The principal objects of my invention are to hold effectively shutters, adjustable ventilating elements and the like against displacement or shifting from the Vpositions to which they are adjusted; to lock positively the adjusting mechanism at any stage of its operation so that it can be actuated only under the control of the operator; to insure prompt releasing and locking of the adjusting mechanism at the proper time;v to construct the'locking device so thatit does not interfere with the freedom of operation of the adjusting mechanism by the operator; to provide remote control of the locking device by the same means which is employed to operate the adjusting mechanism; and in general, to aord a simple, convenient, reliable and positive lock for use in connection with an adjusting mechanism whereby the latter cannot bey .operated except under the control of the operator.

The invention consists in the novel constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will appear from the following description of a certain preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. l is a transverse sectional View of a skylight structure with adjusting mechanism for Ventilating elements embodying the principles of my invention; v j

Fig. 2 is avertical sectional view through the locking device'and adjoining parts of the adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a sideview of the locking device,

vtaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, with parts broken away to disclose details of construction; and V Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Like characters of'reference designate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates one of a number of transvmember l, at its middle, has van upright 4 secured Vthereto and extending upwardly therefrom, and oppositely inclined rafters 5-5 have their inner ends secured to the uprights 4 aboutI midway between the upper and lower endsof the latter, and have their outer endsjsecured to the respective outer ends of the transverse member 1. A ridge cap 6 extends longitudinally over andvmidway between the sides of the skylight opening, being supported on the upper ends of the uprights 4, and'has one or more shuttersor Ventilating element-s 7 and 8,'respectively, at

each side thereof and hinged to the uprights 4 as at 9. Deck sections 10 extend part way up the rafters 5 from each curb 2 so as to leave openings between theiry upper edges and' the ridge cap, which openings are adapted to be closed by the hinged shuttersor ventilating elements 7 ,and 8, which' are arranged so that their lower edges seat against and over the upper edges of the deck sections 10 and are adapted to be swung on their pivots 9 awayfrom the deck sections l() to various positions to permit any desired extent of air circulation through the skylight openings.

The deck sections 10 and ventilator sections or shutters 7 and 8 are in practice, usually glazed to admit light through the roof opening, the joints are sealed or close fitting, so as tokeep out the weather, and the ends of the skylight are closed by any suitable end wall construction.

September 12, 1923, which includes a longi-v tudinally extending shaft 11, journaled in the uprights 4l, and having -a plurality of gears 12 keyed thereon. Links 18 and 111 are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the respective swinging sections7 and 8,

' and the lower ends of said respective links are provided with slots 15 and 16 respectively, which engage a lug 17 projecting laterally from one side of the gear 12. The slots 15 and 16'are so positioned that 'the upper ends thereof contain thelug 17 when the sections'7 and 8 are in their closed positions, and the slots are of suoli length that the gear 12 may be rotated in either direction as required to open either one of the sections 7 and'8 almost to the extreme open position without disturbing the other section.

A shaft 18 extending parallel with the shaft 11 and also journaled inthe uprights 4 is provided with a plurality of pinions 19,

which are in mesh with the respective gears A chain wheel 20 is mounted to rotate onV a set screw 2a, is a head or cross arm 25 having theopposite ends, which lie close to the inner face of the band or ring 22, elongated, as indicated at 2G, for a purpose that will hereinafter be apparent. tends outwardly at each end of the block or crossV arm 25, midway between the ex- -tremities of .the end faces, and the portions of these end faces at opposite sides of the lugs 27 are arranged with respect to the inner face of 'the band or ring 22, to afford oppositely converging spaces Ytherebetween.v A ball 28 is located in each of theseconvcrging spaces and retained. in position' by a trans-v the ball and at the other Vend is engaged in A lug 27 ex-y a seat 32 in the lug 27. In view of the opposite convergence of the spaces in which the pair of balls at each end of the block or cross arm 25 'are located, and the pressure of the springs upon the balls, a two-way locking arrangement is afforded to ,locky the arm 25 against rotation in either direction. An attempt to turn the arm 25 in the one direction causes the set of diametrically opposite balls at the rear or trailing ends of the extensions 26 to ybind between the end faces of the arm 25 and the inner surface of the ring or band 22, and since the ring or band 22 is stationary, movement of Vthe'arm 25 is effectively prevented. Likewise any attempt to rotate the arm 25 in the reverse direction brings into action'the other set lof balls 28 and in the same manner prevents such movement. Y

When either or bothy ofthe shutters or closing elements? and 8 are open to any extent, they have a tendency to rotate the.

gear 12 and return to the closed position. This is effectively resisted by the ball locking mechanism abovedescribed; said mechanism, because of its wedge action, beingvincapable of slipping or otherwise yielding under vibration or wind or draught pressure which the shutters or sections 7 and 8 are subjected. Moreover, vthe same locking function is present when the shutters' .or sections 7 and 8 are closed, and these sections cannot therefore be opened from the outside for unauthorized access to the building. l

,Vhen vit is desired to operate the shutters or sections 7 or 8,

arm and the shaft 18 against movement in the intended direction, he released from locking cngagement.` This is accomplished through the operating wheel 20, which as hereinbefore stated, is loose onthe shaft 18, said wheel being provided with a pair of diametrically positioned, laterally extending pins 88, which are capable of passing through the gap between the ends of the extensions 26 and the inner face of the ring or band 22. Rotation of the wheel 2O in one direction, 'brings the pinsll against one set of the balls, backing saine up in their convergent guides 29-30 nst the tension of the springs 31, and at the same time apthe turning pressure is applied by the wheel- 20. 'As soon as the turning pressure of the wheel 20 is relaxed, the set'of balls 28 which l or either of them, itA is necessary that the balls, which lock the were engaged by the pins 33, are returned by the pressure of the springs to the locking position and the head 25 is immediately clamped to the ring 22 against movement in either direction. Turning of the wheel 20 in the direction opposite to that assumedv above, in like manner, brings the pins 33 against the other set of locking balls and releases the same so that the head 25 and the shaft 18 arey free to rotate in the direction of applied pressure. l

Thus the shutters or sections 7 and 8 are freely operable by turning of the wheel 20, which may be effected, through the chain 20, from a remote point, but the mechanism is immediately locked, when the shutters are closed or in any position of adjustment, as' soon as the whecl'20 stops, and any attempt or tendency to operate the shutters or sections 7 and 8 otherwise than by the wheel 20, merely increases the grip of the lock. It

is also to be noted that with this device,rno

connection other than the operating chain 21 is required to control the locking mechanism or effect the locking or release thereof as the construction is such that the initial movement of the wheel 20 in either direction accomplishes the necessary unlocking.

I have shown and described my present invention in connection with a link and gear wheel structure of the type shown and described in my co-pending application hereinbefore referred to, but it is to be understood that other forms of connections may be used, and other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An operating mechanism for the shutter of a skylight, comprising inv combination a shaft adjacent to the shutter, means driven by said shaft for opening and closing' the shutter, a ring fiXedly mounted in concentric position about said shaft and having a groove in its inner face, a head mounted on said lshaft and rotatable ,therewith within said ring and having'facing portions convergent with the inner face of the ring, said facing portions of the head being also provided with grooves opposite the groove inthe ring, gripping devices adapted to roll along said grooves for locking the head and shaft by friction against rotation with respect to the ring, springs adapted normally to hold the gripping devices in operative gripping position in the grooves, and operating means adapted by its initial operation to move said gripping devices against the action of the springs out of operative position and adapted by continued operation to rotate said head and shaft for adjusting the shutter.

2. An operating mechanism for the shutter of a skylight, comprising in combination va shaft adjacent to the shutter, means driven by said shaft for opening and closing the shutter, a ring Xedly mounted in concentric position about said shaft and having a groove in its inner face, a head mounted on saidshaft and rotatable therewith Within said ring and having facing portions convergent with the inner lface of the ring, said facing .portions of the head being also provided with grooves o-pposite the grooves in the ring, grippingV devices adapted to roll along said grooves for locking the head and yshaft by friction against rotation with respect to the ring, springs adapted normally to hold the gripping devices in operative gripping position in the grooves, an operatingwheel revolubly mounted on said shaft adjacent to said head, means for rotating said operating wheel in either direction, and pins carried by said operating wheel adapted on the rotation of the Wheel to pass between the head and the ring for displacing the gripping devices and adapted on further rotation of the wheel to rotate said head and shaft. j v

3. An operating mechanism for the shutter of a skylight, comprising in combination a shaft adjacent to the shutter, means driven by the shaft for lopening and closing the shutter, a ring fiXedly mounted in concentric position about said shaft and having- 'a groove in its inner face, a head mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith within said ring and having edge face portions convergent with the inner face of the ring, said fedge face portions of the head being also provided with grooves opposite the groovev in the ring, gripping devices adapted as said" head rotates to roll along said grooves into wedging engagement between the head and the ring for locking the head normally against rotation with respect to the ring, an

operating member mounted on said shaft and rotatable with respect thereto, meansV for driving said operating member, and means carried by said operating member and v'extending kinto said ring in the path of movement of said gripping devices adapted upon initial rotation of the operating member in either direction tov loosen such of said gripping devices as tend to prevent rotation of the shaft in the same direction and adapted upon further rotation of thev ALoYZroUs n. BLASKI. 

